Do most people take cash?

[Canadian Kelly]

Hi, I'm travelling from Canada to Disney and was wondering if most people take cash and use the safety deposit boxes in room? I can't decide to take all cash (except for room and car) or to use the bank machines. Would I spend more money if I used bank machines? Possibly!!!

 

[Mrs. Snowgod]

We take minimal cash... Try to save up $1 bills for tipping, and the rest is mostly Disney Dollars or plastic. Even though I have the money saved in advance, I'd rather use my CC and get rewards, then pay it off the next month, than to risk losing the cash.

What extra we do bring in Disney $$$s we store in the safe.

 

[ducklite]

We take hardly any cash. We'll take $200-$300 to split between DH and myself, $50 of it in $1's & $5's for tips. We're going to be gone for nine days, and I expect we'll come home with some of that.

We put everything on the Visa card and pay it off when we get home.

I'd strongly suggest that if you don't want to use a charge card you DON'T bring all your trip money in cash--that's a recipe for a disaster. If you're a CAA member you can travelers cheques in US Dollars for free. I'd suggest doing taht and being safe.

Anne

 

[crisi]

We take a couple hundred dollars cash - but charge nearly everything to our room key and then pay it off at the end with the Visa. The Visa is immediately paid off when we get back.

We are also big debt card users - a Visa logo card that comes directly from our checking account - so no bill. But once we get our room key, we like that.

 

[skiwee1]

We usually take about $500 cash for incidentals and stuff that you cannot charge to the room card. We always use the room safe and have had no problems with it. And yes it is entirely paid off when we get back. No credit card debt for us!

 

[Mady/Sophiemom]

or Disney $$. This time I'm trying the room key thing. I'm just really nervous, that I'll overspend.

I tend to lose track of my spending at the grocery, yet alone Disney.

I'm taking all of our souvener $$ in Disney $$. That should help?!

 

[crisi]

Mady,

Just try and pre-plan your spending - if your souvieniers are coming from Disney dollars, knowing when and were you are going to eat should keep in in budget on the room key.

 

[dcfromva]

We take very little cash with us. 20 years ago, if I went on a trip, I used to worry about whether I brought enough cash or planning how many traveler's checks to buy--but, now a days it is so easy to get more $$ our of the cash machine if we need it and use a credit card for all other purchases. (You will want to check with your bank to see about their fees and exchange rates for ATMs)

Once at WDW, I love charging everything to my room. That way, I take only my room key with me and if it gets lost, I can easily get it cancelled and replaced (it would be a lot more of a hassle to replace a major credit card if it got lost). Also, I get a summarized bill when I check out which is a handy way to track expenses.

Since you are from Canada, I am assuming you are going to have to deal with the money exchange aspect. The sweet thing about charging everything to your credit card is that the credit card companies typically give you a better exchange rate than changing cash or traveler's checks. Plus, you have the added bonus that you don't have a lot of bills left over that you have to pay another surcharge to change back to Canadian currency. (Of course, you should check with your credit card company and see what their policy is on exchanges. )

-DC

 

[ducklite]

Just wanted to reiterate that you can buy travelers cheques at CAA in US Dollars at a very good exchange rate. You can take them to the front desk at the resort or any guest services in any park and cash them, or use them like cash at almost anyplace in WDW and get your change back in US currency.

If you're afraid you'll overspend, then just take for the day the amount of cheques you have to use that day, and when it's gone, it's gone.

If you plan carefully you'll be fine. My last trip to Canada I spent nine days and had exactly one twonie, one loon, and less than a dollar in assorted nickels, dimes, and pennies when I boarded the plane to come home. Of course that last stop at Tim Horton's at the airport helped spend my last bit of cash! LOL!

Anne

 

[Debbie]

Kelly, I've usually charged everything. It does end up costing 1-2% more by doing so (the cards get you on the exchange) but I figure that it's worth it. Naturally, I end up spending a bit more than I intended.

This trip is b-u-d-g-e-t, so I picked up US$$ as our money strengthened (and fell ) and when I had a bit extra to do so. Anne is right, though, using traveller's cheques would be more prudent on my part. But....I now have the cash, so that is what I will be taking. I'll use the safe in the room to store what I am not using that day. (I've done this before with the kid's money and my own TC, so I know that it should be fine) My goal this trip. No bills when I get back, and since I've prepaid the Courtyard and CSR, the tickets are in my hand, I have a good shot at it. (There might be 2 hotel rooms on my card, and my shopping at DTD but that'll be it! YEAH)

Anne, I'm not a coffee drinker, but I know that where the Timmy's is in Ohio has been the talk of the Canadian Board .

 

[frannn]

This year I'll be buying a bunch of Connections vouchers for the food, as well as some Disney Visa reward coupons. That will help lessen the amount of cash we need to bring. We always keep the $ in the resort room safe. It makes me nervous every year to be carrying that $-once we get into the room, I can breathe easy.

 

[Canadian Kelly]

Thanks everyone! I think I will do half and half. This is my first trip to Disney so I'm not sure how strong the temptation to over-spend will be. I'm usually fairly conservative so hopefully I'll be ok. I travelled to Paris last October and didn't go nuts there as everything was very expensive! The budget board here is super and I've learned a lot!

 

[disneychrista]

I use Credit Cards almost exclusively when at Disney. I only take cash for food carts (popcorn, ice cream etc).

 

[Alice28]

My DH and I have just recently paid off most of our credit debt, which was a major accomplishment for us. I know how I am with the charge card, and I have decided to exchange the bulk of my $ into Disney $ for this trip. I am going to use my debit card to buy my park pass, but I am bringing cash/Disney $ for the rest, so when it's gone, it's gone. I will allot so much per day and put the rest in the safe. I am going with my Mom, and she is paying for the room, so pretty much all I need is food & tip money and maybe $100 in souvenir $. Since we were just there for 10 days in March and went hog wild on the souvenirs then, I am limiting myself this time! I think it's up to you and your spending habits and how you do with a charge card. Ideally I think it's the way to go...but I know myself, and I'm choosing not to even let it tempt me. I think the travellers cheques is a great idea- in fact, I may get some of my $ in AAA cheques and some in Disney Dollars.

 

[crisi]

Alice,

Be sure you know what the daily limit on your debit card is. Ours used to be something like $500, not enough to buy park tickets for all of us - but easily enough to get through the day if we pre-bought park tickets.

 

[Alice28]

Thanks for the info Crisi- I don't know what our debit limit is...I used it for a dining set the other day for $600. Fortunately I am able to buy the $99 military salute tickets this time, so the most I will be putting on my debit is $198. Thanks again though- is there a difference if you use your pin as an instant debit or if you use it as a charge?

 

[kilee]

We take cash. We have no credit cards, so that option is out.

The debit card is great but there are many fee's associated with it. I used it our last trip in Downtown Disney. I took out $300.00, the fee's for using that ATM were $4.75. Remeber too, that your debit card will have a limit you can take out per day. Also, did you know that if you have "many" high transactins in a row on your debit card, many banks will freeze your account, until they verify with you that your card wasn't stolen. (This happened to me in the middle of Christmas Shopping last year). In addition to the fee's, many non-bank ATM's have a limit you can get from their machine as well (usually $300-500).

If carrying a lot of cash makes you leary, and you don't want to charge. Then definetly get the traveler's checks.

When we carry large amounts of cash, we break it up between people. So no single person has all the money. Also, I carry a bag with my wallett in it. It has 2 straps that attach to my wallett in different areas and we put it in the middle of the bag between everything. A pain if you want the wallett really quick. However, it makes sure it doesn't fall out at Disney accidentially, and if someone wanted to "pick-pocket" our wallett. They'd have to go through alot of items in the back pack along with unlatching 2 separate hooks, I feel pretty sure (our bags are packed tight) that I'd feel them.